VFW Post 3063

Seahawks Day of Service

Shoutout to the Seattle Seahawks, Urban ArtWorks, and The Mission Continues!

We can't thank you enough for your incredible community service projects at our our post June 9. Your dedication, passion, and hard work will make a lasting impact on our community.

The Seattle Seahawks, your presence and support have lifted our spirits and reminded us of the power of teamwork both on and off the field. Your commitment to making a difference in the lives of veterans is truly inspiring. We are proud to have you as our hometown team!

Urban Artworks, your artistic talents have brought life and color to our VFW post. The murals you have created are a beautiful tribute to our veterans and their service. Your dedication to using art as a means of positive change is commendable.

The Mission Continues, your unwavering commitment to empowering veterans and strengthening communities is remarkable. Your volunteers have worked tirelessly to enhance our VFW post, ensuring it remains a welcoming place for our veterans and their families. Your service is truly invaluable.

To the incredible individuals from all three organizations, we are grateful for your time, energy, and effort. You have not only improved the physical space of our VFW post, but you have also uplifted our spirits and reminded us of the power of unity and service. Thank you for making a difference and for honoring our veterans.

Together, we can continue to build a stronger, more compassionate community. Let's keep inspiring each other and making positive change happen!

Armed Forces Day Social

May 18 we celebrated Armed Forces Day a couple days early with our community and special guests from the America's First Corps Band out of JBLM, the Washington National Guard's 181st Brigade Support Battalion, A Company (also our post's Adopted Unit), Rachel Morgan from the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Joanna Bomba from the King County Veterans Program. Today and every day, we honor their immeasurable service on behalf of our grateful Nation.

Commander's Corner (June 2023)

Greetings, comrades! We continue to have an active spring at the post and will keep the momentum going as we roll into summer. We enjoyed hosting service members at our Armed Forces Day-themed social and thank you especially to our adopted unit, the Washington National Guard's 181 BSB A Co, for bringing out their equipment and personnel. We look forward to more collaboration with them, including a tour of the armory in Interbay.

Also thank you to everyone who came out for our Memorial Day weekend events, which included an Auxiliary Pancake Feed, Day of Service at Golden Gardens and various Buddy Poppy tables in the area. We all have our own way of doing this, but we remember and honor those who have fallen in service to our country.

The new VFW year starts after the Department Convention later this month so we'll soon see big changes around the post. Harold Rodenberger (aka H1) will literally relinquish the post keys to Harold Hamilton (aka H2). I've said it here and in meetings but Comrade Rodenberger has been a critical node in the operation of our post for the last decade. H1 will continue to serve as a trustee and I'm sure he'll help us when we have questions, but it's important we give him space and allow him to "retire." Please continue to send quartermaster-related questions to quartermaster@vfwseattle.org. H2 is eager to learn and create efficiencies; many thanks to him for stepping up to this challenge!

In late May the Fall Fundraiser Committee met and came up with a plan for the Oct. 21 Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser, which will be Halloween themed. We really need help with procuring donations! Our procurement sub-committee chair is Comrade Mark English so please let him know if you have leads or donations in hand. We'll need volunteers for the event so in the meantime mark your calendars.

Looking ahead to June, the post has exciting plans in store. A special service event in collaboration with the Seattle Seahawks is scheduled at the post June 9, 1000 - 1300. You can sign up at the June business meeting or contact Mark English. Additionally, the post will participate in the Fremont Solstice June 17-18 by staffing a booth. I'm TDY overseas June 1-17 so I really need help from a couple folks to set up the booth. If interested, contact me at commander@vfwseattle.org.
 
Stay safe and enjoy the beginning of summer!

In comradeship,

Aly Teeter, Commander

In Memoriam: Bert Usitalo

In Memoriam
Comrade Bert Usitalo, age 87, of Seattle, passed away on Feb. 11, 2023. He served in the U.S. Army with time in Korea from 1956-1957. At our May business meeting, we draped the post charter with a black cloth, and it will remain draped for 30 days in his honor. Rest in peace, comrade.